It's (Not) Easy
by Jackie-B-123
Summary: Harry had expected a happy Married life with Draco after the war was over. Only to discover after years that Draco was never going to ask Harry to marry him. Can Harry find love with someone else? Or will he be doomed to forever be alone and without love?


**AN: Song is "Easy" by Rascal Flatts feat. Natasha Bedingfield. I heard it come on my iPod while I was working on FM, and then I just absolutely had this pop out of my fingers. Not intentional. ^_^' But it didn't exactly stop itself from being written and it wouldn't go away. SO I took a break and wrote this up. Forgive me my lovely FM readers; I'll get back on that after this.**

**Edit: Had a guest reviewer point out a mistake I had made because I only read through this once. She noted that I had written that Draco's mom had died near the beginning, but then contradicted myself nearer the end. So sorry. Fixed now!**

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><p><em>We broke up, <em>_yeah it's tough._

_Most guys would've been crushed._

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><p>He noticed the exact moment that the other male walked into the ballroom. How could he ever miss him entering any function they both attended? Even if they no longer attended these events together, he could not ignore his entrance. His gaze was instantly drawn to the beauty of the other male. His pouty pink lips, tousled raven hair, and his beautiful eyes that were no longer hidden by glasses of any kind after much convincing from him of course. Those beautiful emerald eyes, the color of the famous killing curse that he had now survived twice. He had no idea how hard it was now, to watch him smile politely at all of these ministry sycophants, and graciously dance with some of them. How he made polite conversation as a few of the men and women he danced with groped him under the pretext of their hand slipping while they danced. It was so irritating to the watching blonde. He had no idea how hard it was for him to keep his Malfoy mask up without cracking. He wouldn't break down, not now, and definitely not around all of these people. Everything would be ruined if he did.<p>

Draco watched the man he loved talk and smile with people who didn't even deserve to be close to him. These people who just wanted to be near his greatness. They were sheeple. Following the people who they thought were the greatest, the wisest, and those who would take them the farthest on their own imagined journeys of greatness simply because they "knew" so and so, and rode that person's coattails to fame. These people shouldn't be anywhere near him. Not like Draco should be. Draco would wrap his love up in silks, furs, the rarest jewels. If he would only choose to be his regardless, his without a ring on that pretty little finger. His jaw clenched without conscious thought.

Weasley had done that, he had ridden Harry's coattails to fame. The redhead was now an Auror because he had helped the great Harry Potter with his defeat of the Dark Lord. That had caused Harry to split from most of the Weasleys though. The only exceptions being Bill and Fleur, Charlie, and of course George, he stopped talking to all of the rest of them, especially after he discovered that they were dosing his food and drinks with love potions so that he would marry Ginny and they would all live off of his money. Granger hadn't really done it. It had been more of a side-effect to her, and not her actual intention.

Draco shook himself out of his musings without a single perfectly positioned and coiffed hair moving out of place. He didn't even look as if he wasn't really listening to the simpleton who was talking at him. Draco even managed to nod in all the right places and make agreeing noises as if he was truly paying attention to the simpleton in front of him. He couldn't afford to break down here in front of all of these people who would kill for any sort of blackmail material on him or his family. He couldn't afford to show his nerves or any feelings outside of indifference. The Malfoy name was only just now coming back up in the Wizarding World and no matter how he felt he wouldn't let anything bring it down. He simply kept going. Always trying to move on and move forward. No matter what he had to show the stone façade that his family was famous for having.

He pretty much ignored the brunette woman hanging off of his arm. A pretty airhead was all she was. She was just some Pureblood heiress that had been hoisted off on him by his father. Draco didn't even remember her name, her house or school, or any other pertinent information about her. He didn't even remember how they had met up to make it to this event. He could barely remember that she was his date at all. She was simply providing background to him, arm candy if you will. She was nothing like _him_.

No one was like him. He didn't think anyone would ever be like _him,_ at least, not in Draco's eyes. Even after a little over two years of separation it still hurt somewhere in the vicinity of his heart to see him, and hear him around others. His love should only be for his pleasure. No one else's.

* * *

><p><em>Wastin' their time wonderin' where they went wrong.<em>

_No way. Not me. Hey I'm doing just fine._

_I'm not afraid of moving on._

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><p>Draco was always seeing him at these functions, ever since they had broken up over what each of them wanted for their future together and apart. Draco had wanted children now, if only so that his father would get off of his back about marrying a respectable pureblood heiress to produce the Malfoy heir. Children would keep his father occupied and away from any betrothal contracts of any kind and with any one. Children would bring life back to the manor since his mother had passed on and no longer was there to bring joy to the Malfoy men. Draco would love children of his own. He wanted them, wanted a steady lover, wanted someone he knew he could depend on; someone he knew without a single doubt would love him and only him. The only thing Draco didn't want was to marry at all.<p>

He, on the other hand, wanted a ring and marriage before children were brought into the world between the two of them, and that had slowly driven them to larger fights, until the last one, where he had kicked him, Draco Malfoy, out of his life, and rescinded his ability to get through the wards on his home, 12 Grimmauld Place. Which amazingly enough, he had taken the initiative to redecorate himself, instead of hiring a Decorator like Draco had wanted him to, his reason being that it was his home and it would look like a home.

Draco had scoffed at the time, but after being apart for three weeks because of a business deal his father wanted him to handle, Draco floo'd into the home to a wonderful surprise. Grimmauld Place was a home. It made Draco jealous of the fact that even a first-time visitor would feel at home and comfortable in the place.

When they had finally fought, loud enough, and angrily enough that they weren't able to think straight, Harry had rescinded Draco's invitation to Grimmauld. Draco hadn't actually expected him to ever be able to do that, especially since Draco had advised Harry against doing the blood adoption that Sirius had left for Harry. Only Draco had come back to a Harry with sharper cheekbones, and a silvery-grey lining to his eyes. Obvious proof that Harry had indeed gone through with the adoption, even though Draco could have sworn that Harry agreed with him when they had talked about Harry following Draco's wishes and not going through with it. Except Harry had simply done as he always did when they disagreed in reality, but he seemingly agreed with Draco without ever actually agreeing with Draco. Harry had simply gone and done as he wished. Just like when Draco had thought they agreed to actually have sex, and Harry hadn't. Harry had placed a chastity charm on himself that was keyed to react when Draco got too amorous in enacting his desires. The charm had reacted quite often, and gotten more violent each time until Draco had finally gotten the hint. Harry had evidently learned that with his power level he would be pregnant after engaging in sex just once, and Harry was standing his ground on marriage before children.

That had been something else they had fought about. Along with the children subject, the fact that Harry had redecorated Grimmauld himself, that Harry had decided that he wanted to be a stay at home father, taking care of the children that he had brought to life himself and the home and hearth. Draco couldn't see Harry not pursuing some sort of career, even if it was being a professional Quidditch player, or a professor at Hogwarts. His lover wouldn't make a mockery of him by not doing something in the public's eye and being amazing at it. Draco wouldn't allow it, but neither would he allow Harry to be something as plebian as a baker, stay at home parent, a decorator, or anything so ridiculously simple. Harry had to do something amazing, because he was amazing, and he had to show everyone that he was. Harry had disagreed with him.

That was what Draco had argued, and look where that had gotten him. Across the ballroom floor from the one he truly loved, watching as the other man kept moving on. He stayed the same, stuck in a rut. His father called him Draco's obsession. Draco simply said that he loved Harry, and was the only one truly able to understand the greatness, and capability of the other man.

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><p><em>The truth is I miss lying in those arms of his.<em>

_But I don't ever let it show_

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><p>Harry knew. He knew the instant Draco registered that he had arrived. Even after over two years of being apart, some part of him was still linked to the blonde on a subconscious level. The blonde who had been his enemy for so long and then his lover for almost as long was still engrained in some way in his psyche according to Hermione anyway. The man who had been his first, who he had believed loved him beyond all things and all people. The man who he thought had always been there for him in some form or fashion. The fact that Draco hadn't wanted to marry, but just wanted him to bear him Malfoy children still stung. Was he that terrible, that unlovable?<p>

No. No he wasn't, and after everything he had sacrificed, after living seventeen long years with the Dursleys, after facing Voldemort almost every year of his school life, after dying for the Wizarding World, he wasn't willing to settle for anything less than true love. After he had lost out on his childhood because of a man who viewed him as a pawn, who had created a Dark Lord because he couldn't see that all a lonely child had needed was some love, and then had almost created a second mistake by leaving Harry with the Dursleys, he deserved love. While he had once felt that Draco was his one, his love, his forever person, he had come to realize that wasn't the truth. The truth of it was that Draco had just wanted to use him, just like everyone else in the Wizarding World that he had met so far had, besides Hermione, Remus, Sirius, Tonks, Bill, Fleur, George and Fred, Andromeda, Charlie, Viktor, Luna, little Teddy and Neville. Look where that had gotten them though. Remus, Sirius, and Tonks were all dead, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Viktor and Luna had all left him here alone, and he hardly ever saw Neville anymore.

Well, at least he saw Hermione and the twins often, although that was only because they felt like he was their little brother. Since he was Teddy's Godfather he saw the little boy often. They all helped to keep him grounded through all of the pain he felt upon losing Sirius, Remus, and all of his other loved ones. He felt like everyone else in this world could go rot. Harry was honestly considering leaving the British Wizarding World entirely. They were ridiculously idiotic, and lately he couldn't even seem to stand all of them lately. He just kept going through the motions every day. Perhaps he would go to America? Surely that would be a better place for him.

Especially since the break-up two years ago, he felt like his heart had been ripped out, cut up, and then stomped until it was in little bitty, teeny-tiny pieces, and he wasn't sure that there was anyone out there who would be able to fix all of the small cracks that were there to be seen by those who were closest to him. No one outside of those who were close to him of course could see that he was holding his life together by a tiny thread. Of course, it didn't seem that anyone in the Wizarding World cared a bit. Which wasn't unusual by any means, the Wizarding World would put him on a pedestal one day and knock him down the next. He was so tired of the nonsense that they spouted about him. Even now he was hard pressed to smile at someone who came up and thanked him for defeating Voldemort. It had happened two years ago! They needed to get over it already!

Harry desperately wished that he could meet someone in this world, before he just gave up and left for the muggle world. At least there no one knew him. They didn't see his scar and scream "Harry Potter!" and mob him in the muggle world. He knew that Hermione and all of those people he truly had left loved him, but it was the platonic love of family and friends. He wanted someone who would love him in a romantic way, who would let him be free to do as he wished, and who would support him in his desires as he would support his beloved. He just wanted a lover who would be true to him, love him, and be his. Not someone he would have to share. A man who would be strong when Harry could no longer be, yet wouldn't try to keep Harry somewhere he deemed safe.

Harry wasn't sure if he would ever meet anyone like that, and he was already tired of this ball. He hadn't even been there for half an hour yet.

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><p><em>I laugh, and I act like I'm having the time of my life<em>

_As far as he knows_

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><p>Harry smiled politely at yet another suck-up from the ministry as they complimented him on one of his latest educational reforms that had just passed through the Wizengamot. It had reformed one of the previous laws that allowed the Headmaster or Headmistress to choose where an orphaned student was placed during the times when school was not in session. It was a law that Dumbledore had used once he had surfaced back in the Wizarding World. He didn't think Headmistress McGonagall would use it, but Harry thought it would be safer if it was taken off of the law books entirely. Of course said ministry worker asked him for a dance, and he politely declined this one. He didn't want to dance with any more people who simply wanted a chance to gawk at his scar and grope him unpleasantly. It irritated him.<p>

Harry made his way through the crowd nodding at people he knew, and smiling politely at those who just wanted to be able to say that they had met 'The Harry Potter'. He was so sick of this. Sick of the stagnant reality of the British Wizarding World, sure he was slowly pushing and pulling it into the current century with his reforms of the laws against creatures, dark magic, and magic practicing period. It was slow going though, and he was so tired of it. It seemed as if very few of the people actually wanted to change, and wanted to prevent the rise of another Dark Lord.

People though didn't care. They were sure that their "Savior" would go through the act again and sacrifice his entire life once more to save all of the people of the Wizarding World if another Dark Lord like Voldemort showed up. He wouldn't though. The minute they started to cry out for him, he would be gone. He would make sure that those he loved would be taken care of whether by helping them to leave the country or by having a quick word with whatever Dark Lord, or Lady, popped up, about going after any of his loved ones, or that they left with him in the case of Teddy and Andromeda, but he would be gone quicker than you could say Quidditch. He was beginning to wonder if every single country's Wizarding populations were like this one. Surely they were not? Perhaps he should take a vacation and go find out.

Harry finally made it through the thick crowd and managed to make it out onto one of the more empty balconies that graced the ministry ballroom floor. He leaned on the stone railing, taking deep breaths of the fresh night air. He barely took any notice of the other male who was standing out on the balcony and who was standing partly in the shadows. He closed his eyes and just breathed. In through his nose, and out through his mouth, counting each time to five. It kept his magic calm, and provided a sort of meditation for him to be able to center himself so he could face all of those ridiculous ministry people who were some of the most obnoxious people he had ever had the displeasure of meeting.

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to make it through three hours of this, but it was for one of his charities for those who had been orphaned by the War, and as such Hermione had insisted that he be there. He didn't want to be there. He could just funnel his own money into his projects. He knew that if he put the ideas into circulation among those he wanted to help, besides the children, and then the projects would be able to support themselves. Like the werewolf communities he wanted to start. He simply needed to find land large enough to support a small town and farming areas, and they would be able to live among other werewolves.

The only one that wouldn't support itself was the orphan one. But he didn't mind personally overseeing that one, and pouring his money into it. Hermione disapproved of this though, because she was of the opinion that it would only make the Wizarding World depend on him even more. Harry didn't care. He was only doing it for the children who had been orphaned because of Voldemort's raids.

Harry stood up, and wrapped his hands around his elbows, staring off into the starry sky. He tensed as he felt Draco come out onto the balcony. No matter how hard Harry tried to stay away from the blonde, he always sought him out at least once at the functions they attended.

Evidently he couldn't just take no for an answer.

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><p><em>Every time I see her out<em>

_I can smile, live it up,_

_The way a single guy does._

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><p>Draco watched as Harry made his way through the crowd, smiling, nodding, and making a beeline for one of the least crowded balconies. Harry always did this at ministry parties, but in the past it had come after he had already been at said party for at least an hour. Which meant something was wrong, and Draco wanted to know what it was. Draco's silver eyes followed him and then, after making his excuses to the brunette ditz on his arm, promising to be back shortly with absolutely no intentions of keeping that promise, he followed after Harry, slowly making his way through the crowd. He never could resist seeking him out at the functions they were both at. Harry was the whole reason he even came to some of the ministry functions.<p>

He sought him out as much as he could. He would watch him covertly when they were in the Wizengamot chambers during the sessions that he attended with his father, since Harry attended those as Lord Potter-Black, and voted for the Potter and Black seats. Anytime they were both in Diagon Alley he would watch Harry as he navigated his shopping and his fans, Draco usually had to restrain himself from calling out to Harry, or attacking his fans when they mobbed the raven-haired male. Draco would listen to conversations around him to hear of Harry. He had on occasion even stood outside of 12 Grimmauld Place and simply stared at where he knew the house to be. Harry had hidden it with the Fidelus Charm, so Draco couldn't actually see it, but he knew it was there.

Draco just wasn't managing as well without Harry. He needed Harry in his life, as his lover, to make sure that everything worked out well. Harry was his lucky charm. With Harry by his side everything went perfectly. He just had to convince Harry that he, Draco, was in fact his true love. That he could be everything Harry needed. He just had to get Harry to listen to him, which would actually be harder than it seemed since Harry was intent on putting as much distance between them as he could. All he had to do though was give him a few kisses, whisper a few promises he didn't really intend to keep, and Harry would give in, at least once upon a time Harry would have given in. Harry couldn't have changed that much though in only two years. It simply wasn't allowable in Draco's mind. It was the perfect plan!

Perhaps this time he would get the raven-haired boy to listen to him, and change his mind. After all they didn't have to marry to have a child. They could have a child out of wedlock. Sure any such child of his would be immediately claimed by his family, and Harry wouldn't really have any rights or say in how the child was raised because they weren't married, but still. Even if they were engaged, Harry still wouldn't have any right to the child, but Harry shouldn't be a stay at home parent anyway! That's what House Elves were for! Draco was raised by the Malfoy House Elves and he was just fine. That wasn't a good reason to split from Draco! Harry would still be able to see any children he bore Draco. He just wouldn't be able to keep them, or take them with him if he decided to leave Draco. Not that Harry would be able to leave Draco anyway since he would become more dependent on Draco's magic while he was pregnant with Draco's children, and Draco planned to keep Harry pregnant.

It just meant that the Potter name would fade, because he was possessive and wouldn't allow Harry to be with anyone else after having his children, which meant that the same thing would happen to any children after the first one they had. He didn't really want more than two though. He didn't want to be compared to the Weasley family after all. Weasel had married after graduation, not Granger though as it seems even the insufferable know-it-all had realized that the Weasel was an idiot, and if he remembered correctly Weasel had just had twin boys with some female named after a plant and a color? Seemed like a Weasley curse to have more than one child at a time. Draco would be happy to have one son first. Then he and his love could think about having more.

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><p><em>But what she, what she don't know,<em>

_Is how hard it is to make it look so easy._

* * *

><p>Draco stepped out onto the balcony, and immediately saw how Harry tensed up. Draco didn't even notice the other male on the balcony at all. He approached the other male slowly and carefully. "Harry" was all he was able to get out before the raven-haired male turned with fury in his eyes, along with pain. Not that Draco recognized the pain. He didn't really even recognize that Harry was angry. All he understood was that the man he loved obsessively was looking at him again after months of avoiding anything Malfoy.<p>

"What Malfoy? What could you possibly want from me now?" Harry said almost hissing some of his words in his anger.

Draco could see the anger in every line of Harry's body, but still decided to continue forward with his plan. He would get through to Harry. Draco would make Harry understand. He took careful steps forward until he was able to kiss his beloved on the forehead, and placed his hands on either side of the raven-haired man's face. "Harry, love, come back to me. Come back with me. We can be together. With just one child, we can be together." He murmured between his kisses to Harry's lips, cheeks, nose, eyes.

Harry scoffed loudly at that, and jerked backwards out of Draco's immediate reach. He didn't wipe his mouth or face, but there was a large amount of anger and disappointment, and a tiny amount of disgust visible in his expressive emerald eyes. "Did you decide to marry me then? Because that's the only way you are getting any children from me." Harry stepped back farther away from Draco, and ended up standing right in front of the balcony wall.

Draco sighed, and reached out toward Harry pleadingly. "Harry please. We don't have to marry to have childr..."

Harry interrupted him before he could get any further. "No. We do. Because if we don't, not only will I not have any say in my child's life, but I'll be bound to you for the rest of my life with no guarantees of any sort that you won't marry some Pureblood woman further down the line, because it's what your precious father wants you to do. And then where will I be Draco? I'll be your mistress, stuck with you for the rest of my life, knowing that I wasn't loved enough to be married. Even if I try to leave you, which you wouldn't let me do, I wouldn't be able to take my children that I carried in my body with me." Harry shook his head vehemently. "Not going to happen Draco. I refuse to let myself be used in such a manner any longer. I gave up so much already in my life; this is one of the few things I am willing to stand for. Any children I have will be mine as well as my future husband's, and you are not going to be that future husband, and as such I have absolutely no reason to talk to you at all."

Draco took a step forward, holding his hand out as if to touch Harry. "Harry please. Please I love you so much. We can be together, you know we can. All you have to do is pick me to be with for the rest of our lives."

Harry took a step backwards, even further away from Draco. "No. No you don't love me Draco." His voice sounded like he was holding back tears. "You love the idea of me. Of having me on your arm. Of being able to say that you snagged the Savior of the Wizarding World. Of saying that I love you. But this love is killing me slowly, and I can't let it continue. You don't love me. You are obsessed with me. There's a big difference. I'm through with you Draco. Don't search me out at one of these functions again. I thought you would be the one I needed, and the one who needed me, but you didn't need me like I needed you. You just wanted me, and there's a big difference. Especially to me, I can't do this anymore, so just stop doing this. Let me go. "

Draco had a pleading look on his face, but Harry just turned away from him, and stared out at the stars again. He wasn't really seeing the twinkling lights though. All of his being was focused on where Draco was. Finally he heard Draco sigh, and then he felt when Draco moved back into the ballroom.

A tear slipped down his face, only to be caught by someone else's hand.

* * *

><p><em>Every time I see him out<em>

_I can smile, live it up_

_The way a single girl does_

* * *

><p>Harry turned to face Rabastan Lestrange's dark brown eyes. One of the few Death Eaters who it had been proven through Veritaserum and several truth spells to have been forced into serving the Dark Lord by a combination of the Imperius curse, and torture courtesy of his mad sister-in-law, Bellatrix Lestrange, and his callous older brother, Rodolphus Lestrange. He had recovered from the fifteen years he had spent in Azkaban prison after several months in St. Mungo's, and actually cleaned up quite nicely. Handsome in a classical sense, like Sirius had been, and that thought made Harry's heart clench and ache.<p>

Harry gave him a watery smile, and heard the other man chuckle. It was a nice deep sound, and caused Harry to blush lightly. "I take it you were not happy in that relationship?" came the deep, quiet voice that few heard these days, even though so many women were after him after he had been proved innocent. It was hardly even heard in the Wizengamot where he had taken over the Lestrange seats. Harry shook his head, still too worked up to be able to speak effectively without sobbing. That was the effect Draco Malfoy had on him since they had separated. Especially when they met up unexpectedly in Harry's eyes, although knowing the blonde the way he did Draco probably planned on him being there at the function. The taller male nodded, bowed shallowly, and offered his hand, silently asking for a dance.

It was Harry's turn to laugh, although it still sounded of the tears he had forced back. He willingly took the hand, and was swept up into a simple waltz with Rabastan that went along with the music he could hear coming from the doors to the ballroom. He slowly started to smile as the other man took the lead in the dancing, and swept Harry up into twirls, spins, and dips. All that Harry could think of was the fact that Draco had never been willing to lose any of his so-called composure when they had danced while they were a couple, and so they had never danced this way together.

Perhaps that was because without fail, the next morning, a picture of them dancing would grace the front page of _The Daily Prophet_. Usually with some headline calling them the couple of the century, or the most elegant or some such nonsense, and Draco would have a smug smile on his handsome face because they were indeed a striking couple, but Harry hadn't been with him for the headlines they caused together. He had been with Draco because he was in love with the blonde man. He should have realized Draco didn't love him the same way.

That of course hadn't mattered to Harry. He hadn't actually wanted to attend all of those ministry dances. He had simply wanted to break free, and have fun with the man who he had mistakenly thought loved him. That had never truly happened, and he was now having more fun with this man, whom he had never had any sort of contact with before, than he ever had with Draco. That struck him as a very sad thought. Here he was having more fun with a man who could be considered a stranger than he had ever had with the man he had mistakenly thought had loved him. What a fool he had been at that point in his life.

Harry laughed after the last deep dip that Rabastan did with him. Rabastan pulled him up with a smile on his face, and Harry's breath caught as he saw exactly how handsome the other man was when he smiled like that. They were very close. Improperly close for two individuals who had never had a reason to even meet before tonight. Harry's heart raced ever so slightly. Rabastan's smile widened when he realized how he had affected Harry. Rabastan tugged Harry even closer to his body and whispered, "Thank you lovely, for that dance."

Harry blushed as Rabastan released him, stepped back, and bowed like a courtly gentleman would have to a lady he was thinking of courting. Harry smiled shyly, and asked "Would you stay out here with me?" Rabastan smiled and agreed with a nod of his head, motioning to a bench set off to the side. Both men walked over towards it, speaking easily of things that were going on outside of the current ball. Neither noticed that they were being watched by some of the people who were inside the ballroom.

* * *

><p><em>It's easy.<em>

_Going out on Friday night_

_Easy_

* * *

><p>Draco watched from inside the ballroom, as the Lord Lestrange got Harry to laugh, smile, and open up to him easily. Easier than Draco had ever managed to get Harry to open up to him after six years as enemies and seven years as lovers. He had seen how they danced together, moving as if they were one whole person, instead of two individuals who had just met tonight. Draco felt the twist of jealousy in his heart. Harry hadn't even opened up that quickly to him when they first started dating, but here the green-eyed man was talking openly with Lestrange. Harry had known him longer for Merlin's sake! Yes they had been enemies first, but how did that muggle saying go? 'There is a fine line between love and hate' or something like that anyway. That should by all rights be him out there with Harry. Except their dancing would be much more appropriate, not that wild flinging about Harry was doing with Lestrange.<p>

Draco's grip on his half-full glass tightened enough to cause it to crack. His date gasped as the red wine he had been drinking splashed onto her pretty pale blue dress. Draco didn't even pay the slightest bit of attention to her annoyed words. All of his focus was on the two who had just entered the ballroom together. Not that anyone could tell that he wasn't paying even the slightest bit of attention to the idiotic female at his elbow who ranted about him ruining her dress. A nearby waiter knew a handy spell that lifted the stain right out though, so her dress didn't even look different from when she had first arrived with the Malfoy Heir. Draco dismissed her words quicker than the waiter had left the two of them.

Harry's hand was wrapped around Lestrange's elbow, and he had a true smile on his face for the first time that night. Rabastan smiled at the Lord Potter-Black as they walked into the room, and Draco had to enlist every single ounce of control that he had to keep his eye from twitching and his lips from evolving into a snarl of anger and hatred. He had to repeat over and over to himself that he couldn't afford to drop his Malfoy mask among all of these people. His family needed to be put in a good light among all of these people, and among the papers. If he gave in to the anger he was feeling and shot off a spell at Lestrange before kidnapping Harry away to hide in his manor, then the newspapers would have a field day with his family name again. Not in a good way either.

Harry was his! He had put so much effort into the raven-haired male. Seven years had been spent in his attempts to cultivate Harry into the perfect person for Draco, and without any marriage talk. So much effort that now seemed to be going to waste! How dare Harry seek out another male? How dare he betray their future together with this man? Draco would correct this, and he would correct this quickly.

Perhaps it would help if he gave Harry reason to be jealous? He could attempt to do that with his date. Draco looked over at his 'date', assessing her entire self. Her vanity was ridiculous. He shook his head slightly, and rolled his eyes in his mind. That would accomplish nothing. Harry would simply smile at the airhead and sincerely, with a touch of sarcasm also, ask if she needed a reflective surface to adore herself more. If Draco tried anything it would just give Harry a reason to laugh at him, and that would not be acceptable at all. He wouldn't be able to handle it if his beloved laughed at him. Harry should be laughing with him, never at him.

Draco looked back at Harry and Lord Lestrange. They were both still smiling at each other, and now they seemed like they had moved closer to where Draco and his date were. At some point they had gotten drinks too. Harry shouldn't drink anything alcoholic. That would cause damage to his ability to bear Draco's children later! Draco's eye twitched slightly as Harry laughed at something Rabastan said, and leaned his forehead on the other man's shoulder while he tried to control his laughter. The sound of glass breaking was heard only by those closest to where the Heir-Lord Malfoy was.

Draco seethed with jealousy.

* * *

><p><em>But what he, what he don't know<em>

_Is how hard it is to make it look so easy_

* * *

><p>Rabastan smiled as he saw the look in the Malfoy Heir's eyes as he watched Harry and himself enter the ballroom. "Don't look now," Rabastan said into Harry's ear, "but I think Heir-Lord Malfoy just cracked his wine glass. At least, that's what it seems like his date is ranting so viciously about."<p>

Harry shuddered at the feeling that Rabastan elicited in him. He had never been so quick to open up to anyone before. Not even to his friends, and no one had ever caused him to feel such desire. He had never wanted to drag someone home with him to his bed after just one meeting. He felt Rabastan smile against his hair. Harry turned his head slightly to look in the direction of Draco and his date. "Perhaps he is only feeling those things he should have felt a long time ago when it came to me, then again he may simply be feeling jealousy."

"Perhaps he is, but let us not ponder on pompous Heir-Lords any longer. Will you dance with me again Lord Potter-Black?" Rabastan said dramatically, extending his hand once more and bowing to Harry. He looked at the other male with the most serious look on his face, but Harry could see the delightful shine of laughter in his eyes. It gave Harry a giddy feeling. He had never before been so comfortable with someone he hadn't known for a long period of time already. This was definitely a feeling that he wanted to explore even more.

Harry bowed in return to Rabastan placing his much smaller hand elegantly on the larger one that had been extended to him. "I would be absolutely delighted to dance once more with you Lord Lestrange."

Harry, upon taking Rabastan's hand, was swept out onto the dance floor, where after they had danced for almost half of a song, there were many who formed a circle to watch them. Some of them gossiped about how happy Lord Potter-Black looked with Lord Lestrange, and how he had never looked that happy with Heir-Lord Malfoy. Perhaps this would be a better relationship than the one the Savior had been in with Heir-Lord Malfoy, and would end with a marriage between the two, and wouldn't that just be delightful? They would make such cute children. They were a very striking couple weren't they? A camera flashed, and a poisonous green quill scribbled away as a blonde, beetle-like woman smiled and stared at the two Lords dancing, and the Heir-Lord staring at them from a bit of a distance. What a wonderful story this would make, and without a doubt it would grace the front page.

Harry and Rabastan noticed none of it. Harry noticed none of it. Harry was blocking out anything that had nothing to do with the man he was dancing with. Rabastan just ignored it all. None of those idiots who were blathering on about them mattered anyway. He could feel the burning gaze of the Malfoy brat though. Of course the son of a Black and a Malfoy would have some obsessive qualities, but better that the brat realized that one didn't get everything they wanted in life just because of the name they were born with, or who their parents were. Not everything could be bought with money. Some things took hard work and effort.

Harry deserved the best life could offer, and Harry was the only one who could decide what he thought the best was. Obviously he had decided that the Malfoy brat was not what he wanted, and that of course gave Rabastan the chance to prove that he could give Harry everything he wanted. Rabastan could give him a loving, loyal, faithful husband, and as many children as Harry wanted. He wouldn't try to control Harry either, he would let the younger man follow his dreams and do whatever he wanted with his future. They could have a happy life together.

The beautiful sight he was graced with in his arms was something Rabastan absolutely planned on having for his own. This handsome man would be his consort, and his equal. Both would keep their titles, and their children would be their heirs. Of course first he would have to court and woo the green-eyed beauty in front of him, and he would take delight in discovering every little thing that Harry liked. This would be an interesting and challenging venture. He had definitely made the correct choice in coming to this ministry ball.

He was enjoying himself already.

* * *

><p><em>It's easy<em>

_Going out on Friday night_

_Easy_

* * *

><p>Draco came very close to snarling. Anyone would now be able to see the anger and jealousy in his silver eyes. His beloved Malfoy mask might as well have been discarded like a rotten egg for all the cracks it now had in it. Dancing. They were dancing right in full view of everyone, and not in a proper and refined way, but a way that just screamed of untested passion. And the smile that could be seen on Harry's beautiful face was proof enough that he was enjoying himself. He was enjoying himself with someone who was most assuredly not Draco Malfoy, when Draco was the only one who should be that close to Harry in any form or fashion!<p>

He had never smiled like that when he was dancing with Draco. He had never truly even relaxed when he was dancing with Draco. He was always so worried that he would make a mistake and be ridiculed by another acquaintance of the Malfoy family, or one of the various branches of the Malfoy family. Of course Draco wouldn't have been happy with him if he had, because then his father would have found fault with Harry, and Draco wouldn't have been able to be with his loved one anymore because of that. So perhaps Harry had quite a bit of pressure to perform perfectly, and appear perfectly, and simply be perfection on Draco's arm, perfection by his side, at the functions they attended together. Harry's nervousness could be understood though in Draco's eyes anyway. Harry was to carry the future Malfoy Lord, and he couldn't be anything besides perfection.

Even the public had noticed the two males who were dancing together. Draco could hear the whispered words of some of the nearby people. How handsome the Lord Potter-Black and the Lord Lestrange looked together. How happy Lord Potter-Black looked period. How cute any future children the two had would be, if they stayed together and were married. How they all hoped that this would turn out better than the previous relationship Lord Potter-Black had been in with the Heir-Lord Malfoy. Because everyone in the Wizarding World knew that Lord Potter-Black would settle for nothing less than marriage. 'Which was just so romantic!' all of the younger ladies at the function gushed.

Draco was not happy. They had never really spoken of how he and Harry had looked together. Sure the papers had, but the public never had. Certainly they had never spoken of them in such awe filled and happy tones as they were using to speak of the two on the dance floor. Who were now the only two on the dance floor, and they were surrounded by an awed gathering of wizards and witches. That had never happened when he and Harry danced. People had watched them sure, but they had never emptied the floor to watch them from the sidelines. They had danced on the floor with them, especially in those last few months hoping for one of the couple's famous arguments. That angered Draco even more.

Draco could feel how tense his shoulders were getting, as he listened to the gossipers and watched the two dance, and decided that instead of watching them any longer or listening to the words people were saying, he should leave. He made his excuses to the woman on his arm, who of course complained about how they arrived together and should leave together but Draco simply told her that he had no obligation to see her home because they had not met before this function, and then he went and made his excuses to the host of this party, which was Granger surprisingly enough, and as he traversed the ballroom headed for the apparition point, he and Lestrange made eye contact.

He could see the smirk and the challenge in the eyes of Lord Lestrange. It irritated him, and made him even angrier. His face changed into a snarl, and he quickly left the ministry party.

* * *

><p><em>It's easy<em>

_Going out on Friday nights_

* * *

><p>Harry couldn't remember ever being happier than he was right now. Rabastan was such a wonderful man, and now three months after that first meeting they were dating steadily. They were only dating each other in fact, which was a far cry from his previous relationship with Malfoy. Just last night Rabastan had taken him dancing at a muggle bar. They had danced all night. Although, Harry wasn't quite sure that what they had been doing constituted actual dancing. It was more like sex with their clothes on. And that kiss.<p>

That goodnight kiss had sparked heat, when they had parted after Rabastan had side-apparated him home. That kiss had made Harry want to ask Rabastan to come in. To stay the night. That was dangerous. Harry wasn't willing to part with what he had left of his virtue without a proposal and an engagement ring. He knew that if they did have intercourse, then he would wind up pregnant. With or without protection spells, potions, or muggle inventions, he was simply that powerful in his magic, and in his desire for children.

Harry longed for children to love. He wanted to see green eyes, or brown eyes staring up at him in adoration from a little cherub face that was a perfect combination of him and Rabastan. Harry shook his head and blinked rapidly as he came to that last realization. He really wanted Rabastan to ask him to marry him, even though they had only known each other for three months. It had, to be honest, been the best three months of his life, and he was in fact looking forward to a future with Rabastan Lestrange.

How strange. Harry realized that he wasn't sure if he could live without the other man. He was nothing like Draco had been when they were together. Sure Rabastan could be smug, but he was just as quick to show other emotions besides superiority, and Hermione actually got along with him. Not to mention that Andromeda approved of him.

He heard a noise from close by. Harry looked up at the window from his comfortable chair in the lounge of Grimmauld that he had redecorated in soothing blues to see an eagle owl sitting on the windowsill. He stood up, and walked carefully over. The only owls that could get through his wards belonged to Hermione, Andromeda, Fred and George, and Rabastan, as he opened the window the owl came shooting in and dropped a small something on the coffee table. Harry carefully approached and touched the brown package, only to leap back as it expanded into a medium-sized box. There was a note taped to the top, and Harry confusedly pulled it off.

He opened it to see that it was indeed from Rabastan. The note read:

_Beloved Harry,_

_I have a question for you. Please meet me tonight at the Blue Swan at 8._

_In the box is something I would like you to wear. You don't have to of course, but I would love it if you did._

_All my love,_

_Rabastan_

* * *

><p><em>I can smile, <em>

_Live it up_

* * *

><p>Rabastan paced back and forth in front of his table. He was the only one in the restaurant, and that was exactly how he wanted it. He was so nervous though! He had no clue how Harry would respond to his proposal. He had come to love his little beauty in the past three months, and he wanted nothing more than to marry him and see him heavy with his child. Rabastan felt his dress pants tighten at the thought of Harry pregnant with the child he would plant in his body.<p>

He shook his head, and continued his pacing. As he went back and forth he checked to make sure that everything was still perfect. It was. There was nothing left for him to worry about, yet he still worried. This night, this question, Harry's answer, all of it would determine how the rest of his life went. It could be smooth with much laughter and love, or it could be rough and full of unhappiness as his older brother's life had been.

He was hoping for love and happiness and laughter and all of the good things that he just knew marriage with Harry would provide. First though he had to work up the nerve to ask, and then Harry had to answer his question too. He just had to find his inner Gryffindor.

Rabastan heard the door open, and Harry's voice. This might be more difficult than he thought it would have been.

"Rabastan? Where are you?" Harry called out. Rabastan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He should have had that shot of fire whiskey the server had offered him earlier.

"I'm in here love. Just come around the corner to the left. You'll see me." Rabastan called out.

Harry came around the corner and it was like all of the breath Rabastan had ever breathed in was pulled out of him. Harry had decided to wear what Rabastan had gifted him with. Black pants that hugged his curvy hips, and a tight white shirt that only emphasized his waist. Covered with an open robe that was a green so dark it was almost black. Rabastan swallowed heavily upon seeing his love in the clothes he had picked. The only thing that would be better would be seeing Harry in Rabastan's clothing.

Rabastan resisted the urge to reach down and adjust himself in his pants when Harry flashed him that shy smile and asked "Like what you see then since you picked it out?" Rabastan could only nod as Harry came closer. They exchanged a chaste kiss, and Rabastan held Harry's chair out and then pushed it in. Harry smiled at him as Rabastan went to the other side of the table.

"I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of ordering our favorites already." Rabastan's voice came out huskier than he had intended, and Harry visibly shivered as he nodded. The servers came out with their first course, and the two men talked and ate, and enjoyed themselves.

* * *

><p><em>Oh it's easy<em>

_Every time I see him out_

* * *

><p>Harry enjoyed himself. Rabastan made him laugh, and the food was delicious of course. He couldn't help but wonder why they were at the restaurant alone though. Besides the wait staff he hadn't seen another soul in the building. Which made Harry very curious.<p>

Rabastan had sent him these lovely clothes, and had ordered all of their favorites, and everything was so very romantic. It made Harry wonder. It made him wonder if this would be a night he would remember for the rest of his life as a happy memory, or if it would be the final straw that broke him.

Harry smiled lovingly at Rabastan after their dessert plates were removed from the table, and his breath caught at the look that Rabastan sent him back. It was a look of promise, of love and devotion, and of a future together. Harry's eyes went wide when Rabastan stood, knelt on one knee before Harry's seat, and pulled a small box from his pocket.

His eyes went even wider, and he gasped when Rabastan opened the box to show a bonding ring made of white gold with swirls of silver and a single black opal stone in the setting. Rabastan took a deep breath, and quietly said "Harry, I know it's only been three months, but it feels like it has been an amazing adventure. I know that I love you, and that I am in love with you, and I know that I can no longer imagine a future without you. Would you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Rabastan held his breath, and the wait staff hiding behind the swinging doors did too. Harry stared amazedly at the man who was kneeling next to him, and then at the ring said man was holding out. Right as Rabastan was beginning to prepare himself for rejection; Harry threw himself out of his seat and pounced on Rabastan. He gave the man a deep and passionate kiss that didn't break, even for the cheers that the wait staff and cooks were giving. When they finally did break apart Rabastan chuckled and said to the smaller man still on his lap, "I take it that's a yes then?"

Harry's smile was blinding in its intensity and his beauty struck Rabastan anew as the smaller man nodded. Rabastan plucked the ring out of its case and slid it carefully on Harry's left ring finger. He kissed the hand he held, and looked up at Harry again. "I will love you for an eternity. I will treat you with love and kindness. I will stand by you through the light, through the darkness, and unto our own ending days. I will stand by your side, and I will sometimes stand in front of you, but only to take the blows directed at you that you cannot. This is my promise, and my solemn vow."

Harry's eyes filled up with tears once more, and he resumed the passionate kissing of his fiancé.

* * *

><p><em>Forget about the way it was<em>

_But what she_

* * *

><p>Draco was unhappy. Actually unhappy was an understatement. He was so low, that there wasn't even a word for it. He didn't think that there was a word for how he felt in any language. It was terrible, horrible, awful, and so many other things. His heart was breaking. All because his love was marrying another man and there was nothing he could do about it.<p>

Yes, Draco had finally come to terms with the fact that he had driven Harry away with his obsessive and controlling tendencies. Now he had no choice but to marry some pureblood heiress. He could still remember that day almost four months ago now when he had picked up the morning edition of _The Daily Prophet_ and seen the happy couple on the front page with the words Congratulations to the Savior! Right in the middle of the paper there had been a picture of the ring. A simply opal stone was the engagement ring Lestrange had given Harry.

Draco would have gotten him one of the fancy sets from the Malfoy vaults. He wouldn't have bought him a new one, even if he had decided to actually marry Harry. Draco swallowed another drink from the bottle of fire whiskey hat he held in his hand. A brief glance at the bottle showed that it only had a few swallows more left in it. He looked around his room and could only see empty bottles. Empty bottles were lying on his dresser, his desk, his bed, on the floor, and on the window seat. He sighed, stood from his seat and tilted side to side as he made his way into his sitting room where he knew that he had a few bottles lying around.

He knew that his father was slightly worried for him, not that anyone else could really tell, but he was planning on getting absolutely drunk and staying that way for the next week at least. Especially since today was the wedding. The wedding of the man who could have been his, to another, and they had even sent him an invite. How nice of them. Draco managed to make it into his sitting room, where he found two more bottles and sat in one of the chairs. He leaned his head back to rest on the back of it, and found that the sobs that came were out of his control.

He couldn't truly believe this. Two years and eight months, and here he was still crying over Harry, while Harry had moved on. Wasn't that just the way the world turned though? The man he loved had finally moved on, and left Draco standing in his dust with tears falling down his face. Draco knew though. He knew that he had brought all of this heartache on himself, and now he would have to deal with it by himself. If he had only asked Harry to marry him, then they would be together. The only person Draco could actually see himself happy with, and Draco had ruined it all.

Wasn't life just grand?

* * *

><p><em>Oh But what he don't know<em>

* * *

><p>Harry had never been happier. It was his wedding day, and he was marrying a man he loved, and who loved him. Was there anything else he could ask for? He looked down at his flat stomach. He would wish for a few children, but those would come soon enough.<p>

"Harry. Are you ready?" came the quiet voice of Andromeda Tonks. Harry looked up at her with tears in his eyes. "Oh Harry." She said with a look of complete understanding.

"They aren't here 'Dromeda. None of them are here to give me away. Not my parents, not Sirius or Remus or even Dumbledore. None of the people who would have done it are here." Harry took a deep breath. "Andromeda? Would you give me away to Rabastan today?" His voice showed the nervousness that he felt, and Andromeda smiled.

"I would be honored Harry. I do see you as my child you know. The son I never had."

Harry smiled tearfully at her. "And you are a wonderful mum to me." Andromeda smiled with tears in her eyes as she hugged Harry tightly.

"They all would have been so proud you know? They would have been delighted with the man you have chosen, and that you are getting married, and with all of your life decisions. And if there was even the slightest word that they weren't all happy your mother would have taken care of it." They both chuckled at the mental image of Lily beating up any of the men if they had dared to mention any sort of objection to her baby boy's decisions. It was definitely one of the more humorous images to have of her.

Harry smiled at Andromeda as they separated from their hug. She reached up and wiped away the tears that had slipped out. "Are you ready dearest? Everyone is out there waiting for you. Today is your day. Yours and Rabastan's." Harry nodded at her. She took his arm, and guided him out of the dressing room and to the doors of the building. They had decided to have their wedding outside on the property of one of their houses.

Andromeda waved her wand and made the doors open. Open on Harry's future.

* * *

><p><em>Is how hard it is to make it look so easy.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>And that is a wrap for this extraordinarily long one-shot. Seriously. Did not expect this. It falls just over(?) 10k words. That's me mentally not including my author's notes and the lyrics that separate the POVs and locations of the story. I should be updating the next chapter of FM soon. In the meantime enjoy this short little story. <strong>

**Happy Samhain, All Hallow's Eve, Halloween. Whatever holiday you celebrate at this time of year, may it be a happy and blessed one.**

**Peace**

**luvmiroku**


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